· Game notes (.pdf)
SAN ANTONIO - UTSA hits the road again this week for a two-game road swing in Louisiana that begins on Thursday, Feb. 8, at Southeastern Louisiana and ends at Nicholls State on Feb. 10.
Series meeting: UTSA leads the all-time series 16-7 against Southeastern Louisiana and is 5-5 at University Center. Last season, the Roadrunners took two of three meetings against the Lady Loins. Meanwhile, UTSA is 22-11 against Nicholls State and is 9-9 at Stopher Gymnasium. The Roadrunners handed the Lady Colonels a 67-57 loss in Thidobaux, La., on Feb. 2.
About Southeastern Louisiana: The Lady Lions sit atop the Southland Conference Eastern Division with a 7-2 record and are 15-7 on the season. SLU has reeled off five straight wins, since losing at Texas-Arlington on Jan. 13. The Lady Loins went 2-0 last week with wins against McNeese State (Feb. 1) and at Lamar (Feb. 3).
Senior Brenita Williams leads the team in scoring with 13.6 points per game, while Jazmin Cain ranks first on the squad with 8.7 rebounds per contest.
About Nicholls State: The Lady Colonels collected a pair of Southland Conference wins last week. Nicholls State handed Lamar a 95-90 loss (Feb. 1) and then dealt McNeese State a 56-54 defeat (Feb. 3). Senior Jamie Octave’s 17.0 points per game leads the team, while sophomore Dominique Washington’s 5.2 boards per contest ranks first on the squad.
Last time out: UTSA hit 5-of-6 free throws in the final 28 seconds and held on for a historic 61-55 victory at Stephen F. Austin. It was the first victory in the program’s history at William R. Johnson Coliseum. Sophomore Monica Gibbs, who played all 40 minutes, led UTSA with 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Ewalefo added 12 points and seven boards, while senior Ana Oliveira came off the bench to score six points and grab five rebounds.
Gibbs collects SLC Player of the Week honor: Sophomore guard Monica Gibbs collected her first career Aeropostale/Southland Conference Player of the Week honor. Gibbs, who averaged a double-double with 17.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in the two Roadrunners wins last week, is the first player to earn the league’s weekly honor since Katie Sandefur on Jan. 23, 2006.
One-Two Punch: Senior Vivian Ewalefo and sophomore Monica Gibbs led UTSA to the program’s first win at William R. Johnson Coliseum last Saturday. The duel combined for 25 of the 61 points scored. Gibbs led the Roadrunners with a game-high 16 points and team-best eight rebounds, while Ewalefo added 12 points.
Scoring sensation: Senior Vivian Ewalefo is averaging a career-best 15.7 points per game. The Las Vegas native has scored double figures in 17 games and she started the year with six straight double-digit performance. Ewalefo scored a game-high 20 points in the win against Sam Houston, including 16 points in the first half. On the year, she has four 20 point games.
Difference a year makes: A year ago, sophomore Monica Gibbs shot 49 percent from the free throw line. This season, Gibbs has increased her percentage by 19% (68%). In 10 games this season, she has shot 70% or better from the free throw line, compare to three times during the 2005-06 season. Against Sam Houston State, Gibbs made a career-high 10 freebies.
Second half surge: For the second straight game UTSA ended the first half shooting poorly. The Roadrunners shot 28.6 percent in the first half against Sam Houston, but managed to heat up in the second half connecting on 14-of-28 for 50%. At Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, UTSA closed out the first frame shooting 35 percent however, they shot 60% in the second half.
Stealing the show: Junior Terrie Davis had a career-high eight steals in the game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Seven of her eight steals came in the first half. The Spring Woods High School product was one steal shy of tying the school record held by Rhonda Hoffman set against Sam Houston State on Jan. 27, 1984. Davis set a school record with her eight steals in a conference game.
Climbing the charts: Junior Terrie Davis has moved into fourth place on UTSA’s chart with 95 career 3-pointers and is third on the list. The Houston, Texas, sharpshooter is on pace to move into second place by end of the season and surpass last season’s total of 39 3-pointers. Davis is the fourth UTSA player to connect on 90 or more 3-pointers.
Playing all the way: With a short bench this season, UTSA’s starters are averaging 32.3 minutes per game, while in SLC play they are playing 33.3 minutes. Three of the five starters are averaging over 30 minutes per contest. In 11 of the 19 games played this season, at least one player has played the entire game. Sophomore Monica Gibbs has played in six complete games, while junior Terrie Davis and freshman Lynsey Freeman have five complete contests apiece.
Double-Double tandem: Senior Vivian Ewalefo and sophomore Monica Gibbs have combined for 10 double-doubles this season. Gibbs leads the team with six double-doubles on the season. She posted her team leading sixth in the win against Sam Houston with 18 points and 12 rebounds. On Jan. 27, she recorded fifth double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Gibbs collected two double-doubles during the Wells Fargo New Year’s Classic. The Stillwater, Okla., native posted her first one against Eastern Washington with 20 points and 14 rebounds. At UALR, Gibbs had her second double-double of the year with 15 points and 11 rebounds. In just two seasons at UTSA, Gibbs has already recorded nine career double-doubles.
Ewalefo has recorded four double-doubles on the year, giving her 11 for her career. The Las Vegas native posted her first double-double against Eastern Washington with 14 points and 10 rebounds on Nov. 24. Ewalefo collected her second and third double-double in the month of December. Against Texas-Arlington, she added her fourth with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Freebies: UTSA tops the Southland Conference with a 73% free throw percentage. Against Texas State, UTSA connected on 18-of-20 free throws for a season-high 90%. The Roadrunners are on pace to break the school record of 71.5% set during the 1989-90 season.
